Peter Osnos
recently wrote about the challenges facing Barnes and Noble, which
he described as "America's last major book store chain." The
chain is closing stores in several major U.S. cities and positioning itself as a player in the digital
frontier. Are we seeing the beginning of the end for bookstores? It is hard to imagine a world without them, but it is a possibility.
No one knows for certain what the future holds, but perhaps books will become
specialty items only sold by colleges or smaller independent businesses who
appreciate their tangible value. Or perhaps, as someone in the article
suggests, a large-scale intervention or consumer-led revolt is needed. Either way, big changes await the retail marketplace for books.